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Enugu State Chief Judge, Justice Pricilla Emehelu
By CHARLES IWUOHA
The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Pricilla Emehelu, has released and acquitted one and granted bail to two juvenile inmates in a jail delivery held at Enugu Custodian Centre.
A total of nine juvenile inmates’ cases, among the 12 cases attended to Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Pricilla Emehelu were referred to the Chief Judge’s Court to properly review them at later dates within January, 2021.
Speaking, Emehelu urged the juvenile inmates to take the opportunity provided by the correctional custodian centres as well as the effort to review their cases to turn a new leaf.
“I will want juvenile inmates to use the second chance given to them to transform their lives and contribute their positive quota to move the society forward,” she said.
The Chief Judge appreciated the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) for its strive to strengthen the law and process of the Child Protection System and stop factors that promote juvenile exposure to crime and putting them in jail with adults.
She noted that the stakeholders in the judicial system were committed to reduce overcrowding in the custodian centres, adding that jail delivery involving all ages would continue to be a regular routine.
Mr Richmond Iheme, Deputy Director of Investigation in NHRC, said that the commission was gratified that the process of ensuring that juvenile inmates were not continuing to stay in adult custodian centres had started in Enugu.
“It is a gradual process to get all these juvenile inmates released or granted bail as well as putting in a remand home for their proper care and reform.
“The good thing is that the process has started and we are happy with today’s juvenile jail delivery outcome.
“It is clear that based on the Child Rights Act, which had been domesticated in most states as law; children are not supposed to be in custodian centres with adult offenders but treated with the stipulation in the child law,” he noted.
Earlier, the Controller of Corrections in Enugu State, Mr Joseph Emelue, said that the custodian centres do not take-in juvenile offenders, adding that the mistake of taking-in juvenile comes from the police that gives wrong age declaration of a suspect at times.
Emelue said that he was satisfied with the outcome of the juvenile jail delivery, adding: “I must thank the Chief Judge, other judges and the NHRC for coming to observe this exercise today.”
“I will advise the released inmate and two others granted bail to keep away from crime and anything that will bring them back here for any reason,” he said.
